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O.J. Simpson Dies at 76 Years Old After Battle With Cancer, His Family Confirms in Statement
O.J. Simpson has died at 76 years old in Las Vegas after a battle with cancer, his family announced on Thursday, April 11.
“On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer,” the former football running back’s family wrote on X. “He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.”
Local 10 News in Nevada first reported in February that O.J. had been battling prostate cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Despite reports that the NFL star was on hospice, he personally denied that he was receiving end-of-life care.
“Hey, X world!” O.J. said in a video shared on X on February 9. “Hospice? Hospice? You talking about hospice? No, I’m not in any hospice. I don’t know who put that out there. You can’t trust the media.”
He concluded, “In any event, I’m hosting a ton of friends for [Super Bowl LVIII] here in Las Vegas, so all is well.”
O.J. previously mentioned in a May 2023 video posted to the social media platform that he had “caught” cancer and completed chemotherapy treatment, although he didn’t specify what form of cancer it was.
The broadcaster’s health also made headlines in July 2023 when Radar Online reported that he allegedly underwent emergency surgery to have a stent placed in his heart. O.J.’s former manager, Norman Pardo, claimed to the outlet at the time that the Naked Gun star’s health was rapidly declining.
“The doctors want him to rest at home because there isn’t much they can do for him,” Pardo claimed.
O.J. refuted the report on X, captioning a video on July 7, 2023, “I didn’t realize I had a heart attack until I read it in the news today.”
“I guess I thought a heart attack would feel a lot worse than whatever this is,” he said in the clip. “In any event, it must be true because it was in the media. So maybe I should run to the hospital real quick. Maybe I had a heart attack and didn’t know it.”
O.J. first gained fame as a professional football player with the Buffalo Bills. However, he became infamous in the ‘90s when he went on trial for the double murder of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman. The case was heavily covered in the media at the time. O.J. was acquitted in 1995.
